Post-hole auger.



J. S. HAMILTON. POST HOLE AUGER. APPLIOATION TILED NOV. 3, 1913.

Patented Oct, 13, 1914.

JAc B 5, AM 11 0M l W- W ATTORNEY IIVI/E/VTOR THE NORRIS PETERS (30.. FHOTU-LITHQ. WASHINGTUN, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB S. HAMILTON, OF PLAT' ISBURG, MISSOURI.

POST-HOLE AUGER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JACOB S. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plattsburg, in the county of .Clinton and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Post-Hole Angers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in post hole augers, the objects of which are, to provide a simple, substantial and durable auger of this class, which can be adjusted for boring post holes of various widths and depths, and which can be operated by one man, with ease and rapidity, without stooping from a comfortable, upright position.

Further objects are, to so construct a post hole auger that the relative speeds of the drive shaft and auger shaft, may be changed without the use of extra parts.

I attain these objects, by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a reduced side auger, certain parts being broken away, to avoid obscurity and unnecessary extension of the drawing. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, on the line X-X, seen in Fig. 1, looking downward. Fig. 8 is an enlarged section, cut vertically through the center of the auger shaft coupling means. Fig. 1 is a vertical section, cut transversely through the center of the base and certain adjacent parts.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, base 1 has anchor flanges 1 formed on the ends thereof, embedded in earth 1, for preventing movement of said base, when the augeris in use. On the central portion of said base, is secured the support connection 2, in which the lower end ofsupport tube 3 is secured. Bearing piece 4, (having bearing bracket 4: and handle bracket 1", formed therewith,) is secured on the upper end of said tube. Hollowhandle 5 is formed on the upper end of said handle bracket and extends therefrom, at a right angle to said support tube. Drive shaft 6 is rotatably' mounted in said handle, and has drive crank 6 secured on the outer end thereof. The inner end portion of said drive shaft has spline 6 formed therein. Bevel pinion 7 has hub 7 formed on its inner surface, in which is carried the key 7", slidable in spline 6. Pinion 7 is secured on the inner end of drive shaft 6,

Specification of Letters Patent.

elevation of the Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

Application filed November 3, 1913. Serial No. 798,944.

by set screw 8. Engaging said pinion, is the bevelv gear 9, provided with hub 9 formed on its lower surface. Said gear carries key 9, slidablein spline 10, formed in auger shaft 10. Said auger shaft has worm threads 10 formed on the upper end portion thereof, and is slidably and rotatably mounted in bearing piecet and connection 2. Said threads maybe in the form of a single threaded screw or be a plurality of worm threads as shown.

Referring to Fig. 2, block 12 has its inner face threaded, for engaging threads 10" and therebv forming screw feeding means for auger shaft 10. Said block is secured on,

and carried by the free end of spring 13,

adapted to move said block outward from said engagement. The fixed end of said spring is secured on bearing piece 4, by screw 13. Said block is provided with thumb button 14, for manually moving and securing said block in saidthread engagement. Said thumb button is pivotally mounted on screw 14', passed loosely through an aperture through spring 13, (for guiding the latter,) and is screwed into bearing piece 4;.

I Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, on the lower 1 end of auger shaft 10 is secured'the auger head 11, which is transversely slotted, for the reception of the two auger arms 15, passed slidably through said slot. Said arms are secured at any desired adjustment, by set screws 16.- Said adjustment is readily de termined by looking at scales of measure 17, formed on said arms. Auger bits 18 may be of any suitable form, for boring a post hole 19, in earth I. Said bits are secured on the free ends of said auger arms, and are adjusted for boring holes of various widths,

by the previously described auger adjusting means.

Referring to Fig. 2, shift shaft 21 is retatably mounted in bracket 4:, and has spindle 21 formed therewith, eccentric thereto. Lift wheel 22 is rotatably mounted and secured in place on said spindle. Said lift wheel has gear teeth 22 formed thereon,

adapted to engage threads 10", for lifting the previously described auger shaft. Lift wheel 22 has lift crank 22 formed therewith, for manually rotating the same on said spindle. Shift shaft 21 has the laterally elastic shift crank 23, (adapted to press against bracket 1",) secured on the outer end thereof, for rotating saidshift shaft, and

by said eccentric spindle, shifting gear teeth 22, into and out of their described engagement. Shift crank 23 is passed over boss 24, (see Fig. 1,) and is snap fastened between the same and boss 24, for holding the described lifting mechanism out of said engagement, as shown. Said shift crank is rotated outward and upward from the position shown, and is passed over boss 25, and is snap fastened between the same and boss 25, for holding said lifting mechanism in said lifting engagement. All of said bosses are formed on hearing bracket 4'.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 1, when it is desired to bore deep post holes 19, the upper section 10 of auger shaft 10 is coupled thereon, by the following described auger shaft coupling means: Upper section 10 has two diametrically opposite square bosses 26, (of which but one is shown,) formed on its lower end, for entering into notches 26, formed in the upper end of auger shaft 10, for rotatively driving said shaft, when said section is in use. Said section is splined and threaded in such manner as to form a continuation of shaft 10, and is rotatively driven and lifted in the same manner, by the described devices. Elastic arms 27 are secured on the inner surface of section 10, extend therebelow and have a lifting hook 27 formed on their respective lower ends, for entering into apertures 28, formed through the upper end portion of shaft 10, and thereby lifting said shaft. The lower surfaces of said hooks are so sloped that they are driven inward by the upper edge of shaft 10, when said section is placed thereon. The upper end of said section is formed the same as the upper end of shaft 10, and is thus adapted to have duplicate upper sections, not shown, coupled thereon, as described.

It will be understood that drive shaft 6 and auger shaft 10, including threads 10", are of the same diameter, and that splines 6 and 10 are alike as to width and depth. It is therefore evident that pinion 7 and gear 9, are transposable, as to position. WVhen they are thus used, set screw 8 is removed from pinion hub 7 and is screwed into gear hub 9, for securing said hub on shaft 6. Said gear and pinion while thus arranged, drive shaft 10 at higher speed.

In operation, the operator adjusts auger bits 18, by the described auger adjusting means, for boring the desired width of hole 19. He then grasps handle 5, and thereby holds the described auger in a vertical position. With the other hand he then grasps drive crank 6 and thereb rotates said auger bits. through the described shaft and gear connections, until auger head 11 has been lowered to a point, slightly lower than the surface of earth 1". Said operator then, presses his feet firmly on: the ends of base 1,

shown, to vertical position, thus disengaging the previously described auger shaft screw 1 feeding means. He then grasps shift crank '23, and thereby shifts teeth 22,

(on lift wheel 22,) into engagement with threads 10', on auger shaft 10. Said operator then turns lift crank 22, thereby lifting said auger shaft and the attached bits 18, together with such earth as may be between and above them, until auger head 11 reaches base 1; then by handle 5 and such other part ashe may see fit to grasp, said operator lifts said bits and earth from hole 19 and empties said bits in the usual manner. He then replaces said auger, in the position seen in Fig. 1, and by reverse rotation of lift crank 23, lowers bits 18, until the same reach the bottom of hole 19, after which, the described operations are repeated, until hole 19 is of the desired depth.

7 In using auger shaft section 10, the same is coupled onto auger shaft 10, as previously described, and is raised and lowered in the same manner. When the previously described coupling means has thus been raised to a point slightly above gear 9, the operator, rotates thumb button 13, and thereby forces threaded block 12, into engagement with auger shaft threads 10, for temporarily supporting said auger shaft and the thereto attached parts, while with his thus liberated hands, he uses any suitable tool, not shown, for compressing lift hooks 27 inward from the position seen in Fig. 3, thereby disengaging said coupling means, and afterward lifting said shaft section from shaft 10.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a post hole auger, a base adapted to rest upon the ground; a vertically disposed auger shaft having a spline formed in its upper end portion; screw threads formed on said upper end portion of said auger shaft;

a horizontally disposed drive shaft; gear connecting means whereby said shafts are gear. connected for rotatively driving said auger shaft; supporting means mounted on said base wherein said shafts are rotatably mounted with said auger shaft slidable therein; screw thread engaging means in said supporting means for disengageably engaging said screw threads; auger bit securing means on the lower end of said auger shaft; post hole auger bits adjustably secured on said auger shaft by said auger bit securing means; and rotating means on said drive shaft whereby the same is manually rotated.

2. In a post hole auger, a base adapted to rest upon-the ground; anchor flanges formed on said base for engaging said ground; a support connection secured on the center of said base; a vertical support tube having its lower end secured in said connection; a hearing piece secured on the upper end of said tube; an auger shaft having its upper end portion slidably and rotatably mounted in said bearing piece and having its lower end portion similarly mounted in said connection; auger shaft rotating means for said auger shaft said rotating means being adapted to permit said shaft to slide therethrough; screw feeding means for said auger shaft; driving means for rotatively driving said auger shaft rotating means;

and an auger head secured on the-lower end of said auger shaft.

8. In a post hole auger, a base adapted to rest upon the ground; a vertical supporting tube securely mounted on said base; a slidably and rotatably mounted auger shaft passing longitudinally through said tube said auger shaft having a spline formed in its upper end portion and screw threads formed on the splined portion thereof; a bearing piece secured on the upper end of said tube; a spring having one of its ends secured on said bearing piece said spring being adapted to actuate its free end to move from said bearing piece; a block having screw threads formed on its inner surface for engaging said auger shaft threads said block being rigidly secured on the free end of said spring; a thumb button pivotally mounted over. said spring for moving said block into said screw thread engagement and releasably holding the same therein.

4. In a post hole auger, a base adapted to rest upon the ground; a vertical support tube securely mounted on said base; a bearing piece secured on the upper end of. said tube; a handle bracket formed on said bearing piece; a hollow handle formed with said bracket and extending horizontally therefrom; a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said handle; a slidably and rotatably mounted auger shaft passed longitudinally through said tube; gear connecting means whereby said shafts are gear connected; and rotative driving means on said drive shaft.

5. In a post hole auger, a base adapted to in the presence rest upon the ground; a vertical support tube securely mounted on said base; a bearing piece secured on the upper end of said tube; a bearing bracket formed with said bearing piece; a shift shaft rotatably mounted in said bearing bracket; a spindle formed with said shift shaft eccentric thereto; a lift wheel rotatably mounted and secured on said spindle said wheel having gear teeth formed thereon; a lift crank formed with said lift wheel; a slidably and rotatably mounted auger shaft passed longitudinally through said support tube said auger shaft having a spline formed in its upper end portion; screw threads formed on said splined portion of said auger shaft said screw threads being adapted to be engaged with the teeth of said lift wheel; rotating means for said shift shaft; snap fastening means for said shift shaft rotating means for detachably holding the same in two positions with the teeth of said lift wheel in and out of their said engagement respectively; a drive crank; shaft and gear connections whereby said auger shaft and drive crank are connected for holding said auger shaft against rotation while said lift wheel is in engagement therewith.

6. In a post hole auger, a slidably and rotatably mounted auger shaft having an auger shaft spline formed in the upper end portion thereof; a drive shaft having rotating means on the outer end thereof said drive shaft being rotatably mounted at a right angle to said auger shaft and having a spline formed in its inner end portion the diameters of said shafts and their splines be ing alike; a bevel gear for said shafts; a gear hub formed on the outer surface of said gear; a key secured in said hub and gear for slidably engaging said splines; a bevel pinion adapted to engage said gear; a pinion hub formed on the inner surface of said pinion; a key securedin said pinion and its hub for slidably engaging said splines; and a set screw for transposably securing said gear and said pinion on said drive shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature of two witnesses.

JACOB S. HAMILTON. Witnesses:

HARRY S. YOUNG MATTHEW B. HINTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

